TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION FC302

Flex Circuit Design Guide

www.minco.com

Flex Circuits
Thermofoil Heaters
Sensors
Instruments

Minco Flex Circuits

Table of Contents

Purpose of this Design Guide

Introduction

The purpose of this design guide is to enable you to design a highly

reliable, flexible printed circuit optimized for manufacturability.

Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Purpose of this Design Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Benefits of Flex Circuits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
High reliability
Superior packaging options
Design Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Flex Circuit Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Flex Circuit Design Process

Design Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-9
Specification documents
Manufacturing a flex circuit
Cost impact of layer count
Circuit types
Mincos General Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-13
Standard specifications
Testing
Marking
Controlling impedance and electrical noise
Conductor width nomograph
Standard Design Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14-19
Design differences and special considerations
How to improve flexibility and bend radius
Holes
Tolerances
Conductor width, thickness and spacing
Materials
Value Added Design Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20-22
Terminations
Stiffeners
Forming
Population
Request a Quote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23-25
Providing information for a quote
Specify testing requirements
Artwork checklist
Designing artworks
CAD data guidelines
E2E Engineer to Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Early engineering involvment

Ordering and Delivery

Ordering and Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Place your order with Minco
Delivery information

Glossary
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27-29

While using this guide, keep in mind that the design information
provided is only a suggestion. Minco takes pride in manufacturing
flex circuits considered difficult to build. In most cases, we do
build above and beyond the standard circuit specifications,
provided that the circuit design and type allow for it.
You are encouraged to contact Minco with your questions and
concerns.

Types of Flex circuits

Flex; Flexible version of Printed Circuit Board (PCB), with
unique capabilities. Flex circuits offer the same advantages of
a printed circuit board: repeatability, reliability, and high density but with the added twist of flexibility and vibration
resistance. The most important attribute compelling designers
to adopt flex circuit technology is the capability of the flex circuit to assume three-dimensional configurations.
Rigid-flex; A blend of rigid and flex emphasizing the best of
both constructions, adding synergistic capabilities neither
possess. In its most typical configuration, the rigid-flex is as a
series of rigid PCBs joined by integrated flex circuits (with
emphasis on the high percentage of rigid area content). There
are many excellent possibilities for circuits designed primarily
as a flex circuit with the addition of integrated rigid areas.
Rigid areas provide excellent hard mount points for components, connectors and chassis while flex areas offer dynamic
flexing, flex to fit, and component mounting poised to take
advantage of these low mass and vibration resistant zones.
This blending leads to creative solutions for your most
demanding applications.
Flex-coils; Custom wire-wound or etched coils may be integrated with any of our flex circuit or rigid-flex board types.
Whether bonded to the surface or encapsulated in a high
dielectric and abrasion resistant covering, these assemblies
offer special capabilities to your coil designs.

Benefits of Flex Circuits

High reliability

Superior packaging options

Repeatable installation
Compared to discrete wiring, or ribbon cable, a flex circuit offers
a customized repeatable routing path within your assembly. This
gives you dependability where you need it. A flex circuits
longevity can reduce service calls.

Flex circuits can be shaped to fit where no other design can. They
are a hybrid of ordinary printed circuit boards and round wire,
exhibiting benefits of each. In essence, flex circuits give you unlimited freedom of packaging geometry while retaining the precision
density and repeatability of printed circuits.

Flex vs. wiring harness

Harsh environments
Standard practice for flex boards is to cover the conductors with
polyimide. This dielectric layer protects your circuits far beyond
the capability of simple soldermask. Other base and cover
materials are available for a broad range of ambient conditions.

Long duty cycles

By design, a flex circuit can be made very thin, yet robust
enough to withstand thousands to millions of flexing cycles
while carrying signal and power without a break.

High vibration
Under vibration and/or high acceleration, a flex circuits ductility
and low mass will reduce the impact upon itself and solder
joints. By contast, a PCBs higher vibrational mass will increase
stresses upon itself, components and solder joints.

Space and weight reduction; A single flex circuit can replace several hardboards, cables, and connectors.
Fast assembly; Flex circuits eliminate the need to color code and
wrap bundles of wire, reducing the chance of assembly rejects
and in-service failures. Total installed costs are lower, especially
with volume production.
Repeatable wire routing; Eliminate wire routing errors; reducing
test time, rework, and rejects
Robust connections; Flat foil conductors dissipate heat better, carrying more current than round wires of the same cross-sectional
area. Conductor patterns in a flex circuit maintain uniform electrical characteristics. Noise, crosstalk, and impedance can be predicted and controlled.

Flex vs. hard board (PCB)

Versatile shape; The most important attribute compelling designers adopt flex circuit technology is the capability of the flex circuit
to assume three-dimensional configurations.
Lower mass; With a little experimentation and imagination, a flex
circuit can save up to 75% of the space and/or weight of conventional wiring.
Vibration resistance; Recurring costs are lower than many wire
harnesses, and since a flex circuit is more resistant to shock and
vibrations than a PCB, repair and replacement costs are less.

Rigid-flex
Before: A tangle of wires connects
four circuit boards.

The flex circuit solution: A single circuit

with 7 stiffeners and 2 connectors
provides all the needed interconnects.

Double side component mounting; Rigid-flex are the ideal

solution for flex circuits where surface mount components will
be mounted on both sides of the board.
Total cost of ownership; The maximum benefit of rigid-flex is
realized when the complete installation is reviewed for total
cost of ownership. Using rigid-flex eliminates connections in
the flex-to-rigid transitions while improving impedance control.
Most capable/Maximum vibration resistance; Lets you integrate
the best capabilities of resistant rigid areas and resilient flex areas.
High mass component mounting; When mounting a high mass
component, a rigid board is the right solution. A rigid-flex board
gives you a smooth transition between rigid and flex areas while
preserving the benefits of each.

Flex-coils
Custom coil winding; State of the art equipment generates a
highly repeatable component
After: The package is neat, lightweight, and less susceptible to connection
failure.

Integrated assembly; allows best packaging of your fragile coil in

a flex circuit sub-assembly.
3

Design Options

Rigid-flex

Pins

Fine lines

Hybrid hardboard/flex circuits can

have up to sixteen layers. They replace
bulky wire harnesses with compact,
robust design!

Minco can braze or solder pins to

circuits, either through holes or as
extensions to conductors.

0.002" conductors and spaces are

possible.

Stiffeners

Connectors

Shielding

An inexpensive alternative to rigid-flex.

Built-in connectors speed your assembly.

Optional epoxy potting seals
between the circuit and connector.

Solid or patterned shield planes reduce

noise and control impedance of signal
lines. Use matched impedance flex
circuits for high-speed signal integrity.

Wave Solder Carrier

Factory forming

Coils

Stiffener material frames the circuit to

hold it flat during wave solder. After
soldering, just clip out and install.

Factory formed circuits

follow tight curves to save space.

Mincos unique flat wound inductive coils

can be laminated into flex circuits.
Applications include pacemaker antennas
and eddy current generators.

Surface mount

Selective bonding

Integrated solutions

Combine the space and weight savings

of surface mounting with those of flex
circuits for the ultimate in high-density
packaging.

For better flexibility along circuit arms,

individual layers are unbonded and
allowed to flex freely. Each layer has its
own substrate and cover.

Minco integrates temperature sensors and

etched-foil heaters with flex circuits for
unified temperature control.

Flex Circuit Solutions

Integrated circuit testers

A high speed IC handler must make repeated
electrical connections to chip leads as they
pass through its test site. The answer is a
Minco circuit with welded fingers for contact
and shielding for controlled impedance and
crosstalk. The circuit can withstand millions of
flexures as it opens and closes.

Cardiac devices
As cardiac devices have grown more
sophisticated, many manufacturers have
added remote telemetry for two-way
communications. Mating coils inside and
outside the body exchange the signals.
This Minco circuit has an integral wirewound antenna coil in addition to the
etched conductors. The package is
compact, rugged, and reliable.

Clinical analyzers

Infrared detector modules

Forward-looking infrared lends night
vision to aircraft, tanks, and foot soldiers.
High density signal lines in the sensing
module terminate through a fine-line
circuit with 0.005" lines and spaces.

A diagnostic chemical analyzer must

keep body fluid at a constant temperature during test operations. A Minco
heater/sensor/flex circuit does the job
singlehandedly. An etched-foil heater
warms the sample, a wire-wound resistance thermometer senses temperature,
and a flex circuit provides the link to
control electronics.

Military radio
The latest generation of all-purpose
military radios have advanced features,
compact size, and nearly indestructible
construction. State-of-the-art packaging
makes it all possible. An example is this
Minco circuit, which has two 3-layer
arms mated at a single connector.

Design Guidelines
Specification documents
Consult standard specifications and design documents pertaining to your application and circuit requirements.

IPC specifications*

www.ipc.org

IPC-2221A, Generic Standard on Printed Board Design

IPC-2223, Sectional Design Standard for Flexible Printed
Boards
IPC-4101, Specification for Base Materials for Rigid and
Multilayer Printed Boards
IPC-4202, Flexible Base Dielectrics for Use in Flexible Printed
Circuitry
IPC-4203, Adhesive Coated Dielectric Films for Use as Cover
Sheets for Flexible Printed Circuitry and Flexible Adhesive
Bonding Films
IPC-4204 Flexible Metal-Clad Dielectrics for Use in Fabrication
of Flexible Printed Circuitry
IPC-6013, Qualification and Performance Specification for
Flexible Printed Wiring
IPC-MF-150, Copper Foil for Printed Wiring Applications
IPC Position Paper: Transitioning from MIL-P-50884C and
MIL-PRF-31032 to IPC-6013 and Amendment 1
*For more information on IPC specifications, contact:
IPC
3000 Lakeside Drive, Suite 309 S
Bannockburn, IL 60015-1249 USA
Tel: 847.615.7100 / FAX: 847.615.7105
URL: http://www.ipc.org

Military www.dscc.dla.mil/Programs/MilSpec/DocSearch.asp
MIL-P-50884 (inactive for new designs), Printed Wiring, Flexible
and Rigid-Flex for Electronic Printed Wiring
MIL-PRF-31032/3A, Printed Wiring Board, Flexible, Single and
Double Layer, With or Without Plated Holes, With or Without
Stiffeners, for Soldered Part Mounting
MIL-PRF-31032/4A, Printed Wiring Board, Rigid-Flex or Flexible,
Multilayer, with Plated Holes, with or Without Stiffeners, for
Soldered Part Mounting
IPC recommends that companies using MIL-PRF-31032 specifications for printed circuits, alternatively specify that flexible
circuits be supplied under IPC-6013 Class 3 performance
requirements. Government agencies have generally accepted
that this is a COTS (Commercial, Off-The-Shelf ) equivalent to
MIL-PRF-31032. Please see the IPC position paper which is
available for download at IPC.org or Minco.com.
If your circuit must meet performance requirements of MIL-P50884, MIL-PRF-31032 or IPC-6013, we urge you to read the
IPC-2223 design specification for flexible circuits and follow its
recommendations.

Minco documents

www.minco.com

Application Aid #31 - Designing for Flexibility and Reliability

Flex Circuit Overview FCOV
Flex-Coils Technical Specification FC01
Minco/Omnetics Flex Circuit Interconnect Solutions Technical
Specification FC04

Design Guidelines
Manufacturing a flex circuit
Building a flex circuit generally involves the same steps from circuit to circuit. However, certain circuit designs can add cost. For example, a single-layer circuit with access holes on both sides is more expensive than a single-layer circuit with access on one side, because
the double-sided access hole circuit must have its substrate drilled separately. The adjacent flow chart and the illustrations below identify some cost driven issues, such as access holes, plated throughholes, etc. The flow chart shows the manufacturing process for a
Base
Drill
Plate
Print
Etch
Material
standard double-layer circuit with a stiffener.

Copper

Polyimide
Substrate
Copper

Plated
Copper

Adhesive

1. Double-sided material is drilled

Top
Cover

Drill

Bottom
Cover

Drill

2. Through-holes are copper-plated

Laminate

Adhesive

Conductor

FR-4
Material

Access Hole

Pad

3. Copper is etched to create

conductors and pads

Tack

Inspect

4. Polyimide covers are laminated

over etched copper-

Solder

Drill

Ship

Laminate

Blank

Cost impact of layer count

It is in your best interest to consider all options to minimize

cost. For example, use two circuits to do the job of one. Two
double-layer circuits may be less expensive than one four-layer
circuit. But the cost savings of the circuit may be offset by additional assembly requirements. Circuits can also be folded in
order to save space and layers. Each situation is unique. A relatively small amount of time invested in project assessment can
result in significant savings overall.

6
5
COST MULTIPLIER

The information for the chart (right) was taken from a sample of
circuits built with Mincos standard materials. This chart is not
intended to be used as a price guide. However, it does show
that circuit cost generally rises with layer count.

4
3
2
1
0
1-Layer
Access
1-Side

1-Layer
Access
2-Sides

2-Layer

3-Layer
4-Layer
4-Layer
Multi-Layer Multi-Layer Rigid-Flex

CIRCUIT TYPE

Design Guidelines
Circuit types
Single-layer
IPC 6013, MIL-P-50884 - Type 1

Access Hole
Cover**
Adhesive*

One conductive layer, either bonded between two insulating layers

or uncovered on one side.
Access holes to conductors may be on either one or both sides.
Access holes on both sides of a single-layer are more expensive since
the substrate must be drilled or punched separately.

Polyimide Substrate
Copper Pad

Stiffeners, pins, connectors, components, are optional.

Double-layer
IPC 6013, MIL-P-50884 - Type 2

Access Hole
Cover

Two conductive layers with an insulating layer between; outer layers

may have covers or exposed pads.
Plated through-holes provide connection between layers.
Access holes or exposed pads without covers may be on either or
both sides; vias can be covered on both sides.

Adhesive
Copper Pad
Cover
Copper-Plated
Through-Hole
Polyimide Substrate

Stiffeners, pins, connectors, components are optional.

Multilayer
Access Hole
Cover

IPC 6013, MIL-P-50884 - Type 3

Three or more flexible conductive layers with flexible insulating layers
between each one; outer layers may have covers or exposed pads.

Copper Pad
Polyimide Substrate
Bond Ply
Polyimide Substrate

Plated through-holes provide connection between layers.

Access holes or exposed pads without covers may be on either or
both sides.
Vias can be blind or buried.
Stiffeners, pins, connectors, components are optional.

Adhesive
Cover
Copper-Plated Through-Hole

Multilayer, not plated through-holes

Access Hole

IPC 6013, MIL-P-50884 - Type 5

Cover**

Two or more conductive layers with insulating layers

between each one; outer layers may have covers or exposed
pads.

Adhesive*

Through-holes are not plated.

Access holes or exposed pads without covers may be on
either or both sides.

Cover**
Copper Pad (Layer #2)
Copper Pad (Layer #1)

Stiffeners, pins, and connectors are optional.

Polyimide Substrate
** Adhesiveless base material also available
**Cover may be replaced by photo-imagable coverlay (PIC)
8

Design Guidelines
Circuit types
Rigid-Flex
IPC 6013, MIL-P-50884 - Type 4
Polyimide Cover

Two or more conductive layers with either flexible or rigid insulation

material as insulators between each one; outer layers may have
covers or exposed pads.
Rigid-flex has conductors on the rigid layers, which
Adhesive
differentiates it from multilayer circuits with stiffeners.
Plated through-holes extend through both rigid and
flexible layers (with the exception of blind and buried vias).
Rigid-flex costs more than a standard circuit with stiffeners.
Rigid Material

Adhesive
Polyimide Cover

Polyimide Substrate
Polyimide Substrate
Copper Pad
Copper-Plated Through-Hole

Access holes or exposed pads without covers may be on either or both sides;
vias or interconnects can be fully covered for maximum insulation.
Stiffeners, pins, connectors, components, heat sinks, and mounting brackets are optional.
We also manufacture flush rigid-flex, where the top surface of contact areas is level
with adjacent adhesive/insulation.
Minco is capable of sequentially laminating, drilling, and plating circuits, which allows
for more flexibility in designing the circuit.

Flex-Coils
Flex-Coils are flex circuits containing integral wire coils
for use as antennas or inductors. There are three basic
types of Flex-Coils:

Coil-to-Circuit
Termination

Simple, flat coils with wire leads

Coils laminated inside flex circuits

Wire Coil

Rim coils that are built up in the Z-axis

Etched Conductor

Flex-Coils have the same advantages that a flex circuit does. Wiring errors are reduced
because the coil is oriented in the same spot every time, which provides repeatable signals. Flex-Coils are rugged and easy to assemble, and their design usually guarantees a reduced package size. A Flex-Coil can terminate in any manner that a flex circuit can, or to a
wire lead. Heavy wire leads are available.
See Flex-Coils Technical Specification FC01, for more information on Flex-Coil capabilities, design considerations, and the information
required for a quote or build.

Integrated solutions
Minco is a leading manufacturer of temperature sensors and
Thermofoil flexible heaters. We have the unique ability to integrate
these components and a flex circuit into a single package, drastically reducing assembly time and potential errors. Call Minco to discuss your application,
or visit www.minco.com.

** Adhesiveless base material also available

9

Mincos General Capabilities

Standard specifications
Physical properties

Surface finish (plating)

Circuit size/panel size:

10.5 22" max./12 24", 16.5 22" max./18 24"

Plating methods: Panel, selective, thruhole, blind via, buried via

Layers: 16 maximum.

Plating materials: Solder, hard gold, soft gold, tin, nickel, electroless nickel with immersion gold (ENIG), OSP

Conductor width/space: 0.0025" minimum/0.0025" minimum

Electrical characteristics

Hole diameter (plated): 0.003" minimum.

Insulation resistance: 100 M minimum @ 25C (77F),

assuming 0.010" minimum conductor spacing.

Aspect ratio (ratio of hole depth/hole diameter): 5:1 maximum.

Outline dimensions and hole-to-border tolerance:
SRD:
0.015" + 0.001" per inch distance
Hard tool:
0.007" + 0.001" per inch distance
CMD:
0.010" + 0.001" per inch distance
Cluster-to-cluster tolerance:
0.002" + 0.001" per inch distance
Bend radius (flexibility):
Single-layer:
6 circuit thickness (minimum)
Double-layer:
12 circuit thickness (minimum)
Multilayer:
24 circuit thickness (minimum)
Circuit thickness is approximately 0.006" per layer. Sharper, permanent bends are common for bend-to-install applications
ask about factory forming.
Temperature: -65 to 150C (-85 to 302F).
Will withstand a 5-second solder immersion at 260C (500F)
without blistering, delaminating, or discoloring.
Chemical resistance: No detrimental loss of physical properties
when immersed for 15 minutes in acetone, methyl alcohol,
toluene, or trichloroethylene.

Materials
Cover/substrate*: Polyimide film: 0.001", 0.002", 0.003", 0.005";
Photoimageable Coverlay (PIC); Epoxy glass (rigid-flex)
Conductor*:
Copper: 0.25 oz. (0.00035"; 9 micron), 0.33 oz. (0.00047"; 12
micron), 0.5 oz. (0.0007"; 18 micron), 1 oz. (0.0014"; 35 micron),
2 oz. (0.0028"; 71 micron), 3 oz. (0.0042"; 107 micron)
Cupro-nickel: 0.000625", 0.0009", 0.0013", 0.0019", 0.0023"
Nickel: 0.002", 0.005"
Adhesive*: Acrylic, flame retardant, epoxy, epoxy prepreg,
polyimide prepreg, phenolic
Stiffener: Epoxy-glass (FR-4), polyimide-glass, polyimide, copper, aluminum.
* These are the standard materials Minco uses for manufacturing flex circuits. See page 19 or contact Minco for materials not
listed or special considerations (e.g. implantable devices,
extended temperature range, etc.)

10

Dielectric (typical): 1000 VRMS @ 60 Hz for 30 seconds, 1 mA

maximum leakage current.
Shield layers: Solid or grid patterns; copper foil or screened
conductive ink.
Inductor/Antenna coils: Specify inductance (10 mH to 30 mH,
typical). Wire-wound coils may be integrated into the circuit.
The cover encapsulates the coil, conductors, and coil connections. For details, see Flex-Coils Technical Specification FC01
(call 763-571-3121 or visit www.minco.com/support).
Heaters/Temperature sensors: Minco is a leading manufacturer of temperature sensors and Thermofoil flexible heaters. We
have the unique ability to integrate these components and a
flex circuit into a single package, drastically reducing assembly
time and potential errors. Call Minco to discuss your application, or visit www.minco.com.

Value added assemblies**

Connectors:
Clincher:
0.100" minimum, center-to-center;
Micro series:
0.050" minimum, center-to-center;
Nano series:
0.025" minimum, center-to-center.
Optional epoxy potting is available.
Fingers:
Supported:
0.006" minimum, center-to-center;
Unsupported:
0.020" minimum, center-to-center.
In-line or right angle.
Pins:
Swaged/soldered: 0.085" min., center-to-center; 0.100" typical;
Brazed:
0.035" min., center-to-center.
Active Components:
Pick-and-place, Hand solder or braze
Surface mount, through hole, embedded
** See pages 20 22 for more information on incorporating
these assemblies into your design.

Quality management
Minco is certified to ISO 9001: 2000 and AS9100 (aircraft)
quality system requirements

Mincos General Capabilities

Testing

Marking

When specifying testing, consider your needs carefully. Overspecification can greatly increase circuit cost. Minco encourages
electrical testing. It is required on all multilayer, rigid-flex, and
factory-formed circuits that are fabricated to MIL-P 50884, and
certain classes of IPC-6013.

Minco can meet your marking requirements.

See the table below for information on Mincos test capabilities.

Minco can test for

Range of operation

IPC-6013 and
N.A.
MIL-P-50884 conformance
Complete dimensions
Dielectric withstanding
Electrical continuity
Ionic cleanliness
Insulation resistance
Thermal shock
Moisture resistance
Plating thickness
Flexibility
Microsections

Resolution: 4 decimal places

Accuracy: 0.001" per foot
Up to 6000 V
1 to 10 k ; suggest 5
Stimulus: 0.01 V to 5.0 V
.5 microgram/square cm
NACL equivalent
10 k to 100 M at 10 V to 250 VDC
Suggest 100 M at 100 VDC
-70 to 200C
Up to 98% relative humidity
Down to 0.000001"
0 to 999,999 flexes
Viewed at up to 1000

Our legend marking system offers silkscreen-like printing using

a durable white ink that meets IPC-TM-650 industry standards.
This system allows us to incorporate date code and serial numbering, along with panel based marking, at the same time.
We can also offer traditional epoxy ink hand stamp or silkscreen
printing if an alternate color or legacy specification is required.
Etched marking within the part is also an option. Stiffeners and
covers may be marked with component mounting locations.

Controlling impedance and electrical noise

Predictable electrical characteristics make flex circuits an ideal
choice for high-speed signal transmission. Uniform spacing
between conductors and grounds, continuous shield layers,
and repeatable geometries are features that help control
impedance and reduce crosstalk. And with flex circuits, you can
eliminate connectors and other transitions that contribute to
signal attenuation.
Minco can provide tight tolerances on line width, spacing, and
distance to ground layers in order to meet your impedance
requirements. Actual impedance will also depend on the circuits
shape after installation.
Contact Minco for advice on designing circuits to specific
electrical characteristics.

Microstrip - a single ground plane beneath the signal lines.

Signal
Ground
Stripline - dual ground layers above and below the signal
lines.
Ground
Signal
Ground

Edge coupled differential pairs traces are adjacent to each

other in the same plane with tightly controlled width and
spacing, ground plane optional.
Signal
Ground
Rigid-flex/stiffened flex circuits with uninterrupted ground
layers.
Silver epoxy coating. Silver epoxy is applied to the outside of
circuits and electrically connected to other layers via access
holes in the cover coat. Silver epoxy shielding is more flexible
than copper.

11

Mincos General Capabilities

Conductor width nomograph
The nomograph on the facing page will help you determine the
maximum allowable current capacity (in amperes) of a conductor.
Reprinted from IPC-2221 (and MIL-STD-2118), the nomograph
shows current for various conductor thicknesses, width, and
temperature rises.

Using the nomograph

1. Locate the width of the conductor on the left side of the
bottom chart.
2. Move right horizontally, until you intersect the line of the
appropriate conductor thickness. Move down vertically to the
bottom of the chart to determine the cross-sectional area of
the conductor.
3. Move up vertically, until you intersect the line of the appropriate allowable temperature rise. This is the increase in temperature of the current-carrying conductor. Conductor temperature should not exceed 105C. For example, if the ambient temperature might reach 80C, the temperature rise
above ambient of the conductor should be less than 25C
(105C - 80C). In this case use the 20C curve.
4. Move left horizontally, to the left side if the chart to determine the maximum allowable current.
Reverse the order of these steps to calculate required conductor width for a given current.

Conductor aspect ratio

For best producibility, design conductors to be at least five
times as wide as they are thick. For example, with 2 oz. Copper
(0.0028") design the conductors to be 0.0140" or wider. In tight
situations Minco is successful in achieving 2.5:1 ratio conductor
widths.
Conductor
Width
T
Adhesive
Polyimide
Ideal: Conductor width greater
than 5x conductor thickness.

12

Assumptions
1. The nomograph is valid only for conductors with a polyimide
cover layernot exposed conductors.
2. The conductor thickness includes copper plating. Be aware
that plating may add 0.0005" to 0.0014" of thickness.
Selectively plated circuits do not have significant plating over
conductors. The nomograph does not apply for plated metals
other than copper.
3. Derate current by 15% for conductor thicknesses greater
than 0.0042" (3 oz./sq. ft.).
4. The temperature rise curves only recognize heat generated
by the conductor itself. Heat from power dissipating components or nearby conductors on other layers is not included.
5. It is assumed that conductor coverage is relatively small; i.e.
there is enough free space between conductors for lateral
heat dissipation. Groups of closely spaced parallel conductors
on the same layer can be treated as one large conductor. Add
all the cross-sectional areas together and all the currents
together to determine the temperature rise.
6. Current ratings are for still air environments. Forced air cooling will increase the maximum allowable current. Operating
circuits in a vacuum will greatly decrease the maximum allowable current.
Contact Minco for assistance in cases where the nomograph
does not apply. Also contact us if you have difficulty designing sufficient current capacity into the space available. We can
suggest ideas to increase current capacity.

Mincos General Capabilities

Conductor width nomograph
Example #1: A current of 1 amp with oz. copper and 30C
temperature rise will require a conductor width of 0.040".

Example #2: A 0.140" wide conductor etched from 1 oz. copper

(0.0014") will produce a temperature rise of 10C at 2.7 amps.

Wire Gauge Equivalent (AWG)

34

32

30

28

26

24

22

Conductor Width in Inches

Current in Amperes

17.5
15.0

45C

12.5

30C

10.0

20C

7.5

10C

6.0
5.0
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.75
0.50
0.37
0.25
0.125
0.062
0
0
0.001
0.005
0.010
0.015
0.020
0.030
0.050
0.070

Example #1

0.100
3 Oz/ft2 (0.0042")
0.150

Example #2

0.200

2 Oz/ft2 (0.0028")

0.250
0.300
0.350
0.400

Oz/ft2 (0.0007")
0 1

5 10 20 30

50 70 100

150

1 Oz/ft2 (0.0014")

200 250 300 350 400 450 500 600 700

Cross Section Area in Square Mils

13

Standard Design Recommendations

Design differences and special considerations
Define circuit parameters by application

Special considerations for rigid-flex

It may be helpful to use a paper template to represent the circuit.

Experiment with bending and forming the template to optimize
shape and fit. When designing the final shape, consider how the
circuits will lay out on a processing panel (nesting). The greater
the number of circuits per panel, the lower the cost.

Rigid-flex is the ideal solution for applications with multiple

rigid PCBs having SMT components on both sides and requiring interconnects between the rigid PCBs.

Another consideration concerns rigid-flex. While Minco is capable of building a traditional rigid-flex board for you it may not
be your best choice. Multilayer or stiffened flex boards may be
able to meet your requirements for component and board
mounting at reduced cost.

Before designing a rigid-flex circuit, make certain that it is

truly what you need. If the circuit only has a few layers, stiffeners are a less expensive alternative to rigid-flex.
It is most cost effective to build a rigid-flex with an even number of layers. All rigid portions of the circuit should have the
same number and stack-up of layers.
Observe aspect ratio (hole depth/hole diameter) limits (see
Capabilities on page 10).

Flex circuit vs. hardboards

Designing a flex circuit is only one step away from designing a
hardboard. The most important design difference to keep in mind
is the three-dimensionality of a flex circuit. Creative bending and
flexing can save space and layers. Other important differences:
Flex circuits both require and permit looser tolerances than
hardboards.
Because arms can flex, design them slightly longer than
required.

Design tips to minimize circuit cost

Consider how circuits will be nested on a panel.

Minco builds circuits up to 16 layers, but costs increase significantly above 10 layers.
Expect a trim tolerance similar to that of a steel rule die from
hole-to-border and border-to-border. Hole placement within a
cluster of holes and from cluster-to-cluster will have a 0.005"
tolerance within a single rigid area.
Minimum inside corner radius of 0.031" is standard, but smaller radii are available.
Unbonded layers can increase flexibility in multilayer flex circuits, but this option is more expensive. Specify unbonded
layers only in areas of the circuit that will bend.
Minco can provide an epoxy fillet on stiffener edges that will
bend or flex.

vs.

For rigid-flex circuits, it is less expensive to have plated

through-holes in the rigid portions only.
Minco can provide blind and buried vias in rigid-flex circuits.
Bend

Bend
Desired
Circuit

Keep circuits small; consider using a set of smaller circuits

instead of one large circuit.
Follow recommended tolerances whenever possible.
Design unbonded areas only where they are absolutely necessary.
If circuits have only a few layers, using stiffeners can be far less
expensive than a rigid-flex circuit.

14

Standard Design Recommendations

How to improve flexibility and bend radius
Single-layer circuits are the best choice for dynamic (flex-in-use)
applications. Two or more layer circuits are best suited to static
applications, with flexes only during installation.
Several problems can arise when a circuit is bent sharply.
Compression can cause wrinkles in the cover coat on the inside
of the bend. Stretching can result in tears in the cover material
and/or broken conductors on the outside of the bend.
Start the mechanical design by establishing the bend radius. If
the radius is at least ten times the thickness of the material,
there is a good chance that the circuit will function reliably.

The minimum allowable bend radius depends on a number of

factors, and is best defined by IPC-2223. Overall circuit thickness is slightly less than the sum of the individual insulator,
adhesive and foil layer thicknesses.
Bend radius (flexibility):
Single-layer:
6 circuit thickness (minimum)
Double-layer:
12 circuit thickness (minimum)
Multilayer:
24 circuit thickness (minimum)
Circuit thickness is approximately 0.006" per layer.

Incorporate these features into multilayer and reduced bend ratio designs to increase reliability
1. Reduce overall thickness in the flex area
Reduce the base copper weight (and the corresponding adhesive thicknesses) or reduce the dielectric thickness.
Use adhesiveless base materials. Adhesiveless materials will
usually reduce the starting thickness of each substrate by
.001"-.002" when compared to adhesive based substrates.
Eliminate copper plating on the conductors in the flexing area
by utilizing selective (pads-only) plating or adding outer padsonly layers to the circuit.

2. Make the circuit robust to withstand flexing

Balance the conductor weights and material thicknesses on
each side of the neutral bend axis.
Conductors should be staggered from layer to layer and not
stacked on top of each other to increase flexibility.

GOOD

VS.

BAD

Conductors should always be routed through bend areas as

close to perpendicular as possible.

Incorporate tear stops or

reliefs for slits in the circuit.
The end of the slit represents
a vulnerable point for a tear
to start and to propagate.
Avoid any discontinuities in the cover coat or substrate near a
bend.
The circuit outline should be designed so there are no twists
in the finished assembly. Any burr or irregularity from the
blanking operation could potentially propagate into a tear.
Consider factory forming. Reliable bend radii tighter than 10:1
are possible if the circuit is formed using specialized tooling
and will only be flexed one time.
If bend reliability is still a concern, consider "unbonding" the
flexible substrates from each other. Since each of the substrates in the unbonded area has a much lower thickness than
the total circuit, they are able to bend tighter than if they
were fully bonded.

For a more in-depth look at this subject please see

Application Aid #31 - Designing for Flexibility and
Reliability at www.minco.com

Conductor thickness and width should remain constant in

bend areas.
Plated through holes should be kept out of the bend areas.
If the circuit will be bent within 1" of termination pads, fillets
should be placed at each conductor/pad interface. Stresses
from a bend are not isolated to the immediate bend area and
residual stresses can radiate out from the bend. See page 17
for more information on fillets.
If shields and/or ground planes are required on the circuit, use
a crosshatched pattern rather than solid copper. Another
shielding option is a screened-on conductive coating such as
silver epoxy, which is much more flexible than copper.
15

Standard Design Recommendations

Holes
General requirements for pads, access holes
and annular rings
Feature Single-layer
Pad*
0.060" + t
Major
access
hole*

0.050" + t

Double-layer Multilayer
0.030" + t
Outer pad: 0.030" + t
Inner pad: 0.025" + t
0.030" + t
0.030" + t

Minor
access
hole

0.015" + t

0.015" + t

0.015" + t

Vias
Minco can provide circuits with covers that have no access holes
exposing the vias (called 'tented vias'). Minco can also provide
blind and buried vias in multilayer and rigid-flex circuits. Blind
vias connect the top or bottom conductor layer to adjoining
layers, but the via does not extend through all layers. A buried
via only connects internal layers and is not exposed in the finished
circuit. Blind and buried vias increase circuit cost, but they free up
space for additional conductors on the non-drilled layers.

Tented Via

Blind Via

t = nominal through-hole diameter.

* Pad and major access hole design requirements are based on
typical annular ring requirements of 0.015" minimum for a singlelayer, 0.005" minimum for all external layers, and 0.002" minimum
for multilayer innerlayers.
Customer must allow tangency (see the Glossary for a definition of tangency).
Buried Via

For more information on access holes (major and minor) annular

ring, pads, and thruholes, see the Glossary on pages 27 29.

Thruhole or Through-hole

Annular
Ring

Plated through holes (PTH) connect together the top, bottom,

and any required internal conductor layers. PTHs are drilled
oversize to accommodate the thickness of the copper plating
that will cover the entire barrel of the hole as well as the surface
of the outer pads. Exterior pads may be plated along with the
entire foil surface or selectively plated just at the PTH site.

Access Hole
Through-Hole

Through Hole
Outer Pad

Major
Access Hole
Inner Pad

Plated
Wiring
Hole
Minor
Access Hole

Stiffener holes
Stiffener holes should be a minimum of 0.015" in diameter larger
than the access hole. It is better if the access hole underneath
the stiffener hole is a minor access hole in order to increase the
stiffener web between holes and to prevent potential solder
wicking between the stiffener and the circuit. The customer
must allow tangency. Round stiffener holes are less expensive
than slotted stiffener holes, and as mentioned before, thinner
stiffener material (less than 0.031") is less expensive to process.

16

Standard Design Recommendations

Holes
Wiring holes

Surface mount access

Minco can drill through-holes as small as 0.0039". A 0.020"

through-hole size is typical. Standard finished hole tolerance is
0.003". For all circuits, the finished through-hole size should be
0.003" to 0.010" larger in diameter than the component lead.
This depends on the number of leads per component, and the
positional tolerance of the component leads.

Minco can provide flex circuits with areas that are specifically
designed for surface mount components. Because covers are
drilled, not silk-screened, round access holes are easier to provide.
Square access holes will add to cost because the pad access area
would have to be punched out with a punch-and-die. Square
pads with round access holes are a good compromise. Below are
some ideas for configuring pads for surface mount.

It is best to specify round

(instead of slotted), throughholes. This will reduce drilling
time and cost.

Access Hole

Access Hole

Leads

Pads

Photoimageable coverlay materials are also available, and can

provide intricate, irregular shaped openings for dense surface
mount patterns.

Whenever possible, design pads larger than the access holes. If

space is critial, use hold-down tabs. Hold-down tabs are especially important for single-layer circuits, because a single-layer
circuit does not have the added strength of plated throughholes. A variety of hold-down tab designs are available.

Soldering tips
Since polyimide absorbs moisture, circuits must be baked (1
hour @ 250F) before soldering.
Pads located in large conductor areas, such
as ground planes, voltage planes, or heat
sinks, should be provided with relief areas,
as illustrated. This limits heat dissipation for
easier soldering.

Thermal relief

When hand soldering pins in dense clusters, try not to solder

adjacent pins one after another. Move around to avoid local
overheating.
Minco can solder connectors or components (SMT or Thruhole) as an added service.

Pad fillets
Pad fIllets improve etched yield and material strength. Fillets
are appropriate when the pad diameter is greater than the connecting strand width. Acute angles at the interface between conductors and pads are to be avoided by using fillets to minimize the
concentration of stress at the interface.
Before fillets

Minco can supply circuits in panel form for easier component

assembly.

After fillets

17

Standard Design Recommendations

Tolerances
You are not limited to the tolerances listed in this section. Tighter tolerances are achievable, but often at a higher cost. Accordingly,
more relaxed tolerances will typically cost less. Even with relaxed tolerances, a flex circuit will have a uniformity that is impossible to
attain with conventional wiring. The flexibility of materials constructing a flex circuit allow it to be more compliant than rigid circuits, so
it is not always necessary to specify tight tolerances across all dimensions.

Trimming
Each trimming method has advantages and disadvantages. Routing and laser trimming provide hard tooling (punch and die) tolerances for small quantities of circuits. Laser trimming is also capable of complex cutouts not feasible with other methods. Steel rule dies
(SRD) are best for intermediate quantities and tolerances. Chemical milled dies (CMD) offer tighter tolerances than SRDs for an incremental increase in cost. Hard tooling (punch and die) is recommended for tight tolerances, complex circuits, and/or high quantity. For
more specific information on SRD, punch-and-dies and CMD, see the Glossary at the end of this guide.
Circuit
dimension
in inches
1
5
10
15
20

Outline dimensions (profile tolerance)

SRD
CMD
Punch and
die /laser
0.015
0.010
0.003
0.020
0.015
0.007
0.025
0.020
0.012
0.030
0.025
0.017
0.035
0.030
0.022

Hole-to-border dimensions
SRD
CMD
Punch and
die /laser
0.015
0.010
0.007
0.020
0.015
0.012
0.025
0.020
0.017
0.030
0.025
0.022
0.035
0.030
0.027

Cluster to
cluster
0.003
0.007
0.012
0.017
0.022

Round circuit to next highest increment.

Represents from a group of holes to a group of holes. Holes within a group will have a tolerance of 0.003.
Note: Dimensional tolerances are given in inches. See Glossary for definition of profile tolerance.

Solder thickness
Minco follows IPC-6013 requirements of coverage and solderability for solder coatings.

Conductor width, thickness, and spacing

See the nomograph on pages 12 13 for calculating the necessary conductor width and spacing. Minco can provide a 0.004" minimum
conductor width/spacing (0.0025" minimum at higher cost) on 1 oz. copper and 0.005" minimum conductor width-spacing on 2 oz.
copper (for thicker copper, consult Minco). For best producibility, design circuit conductors at least five times wider than they are thick.
Tolerances for conductor width depend on whether the copper is plated or unplated.
Copper thickness
oz.
1 oz.
2 oz.
3 oz.

18

Plated copper
0.001"
0.002"
0.003"
0.004"

Unplated copper
0.001"
0.001"
0.002"
0.003"

Standard Design Recommendations

Materials
This table lists the materials and material thicknesses that Minco has available.
Mincos standard materials are in boldface. If the material or thickness is not listed, consult Minco.
Material function
Flexible insulator
Rigid substrate (rigid-flex)
Conductor

Adhesive

Stiffener

Material type
Kapton* and other polyimide films
FR-4
Polyimide
Copper
Different forms of copper
Beryllium copper
Cupro-nickel (70/30 alloy)
Nickel
Silver epoxy
Modified acrylic
Modified epoxy
Phenolic Butyral
Pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA)
Preimpregnated material: FR-4, polyimide
Copper, Aluminum, and other metals
Polyimide glass
FR-4

Sizes/thickness available
0.0005", 0.001", 0.002", 0.003", 0.005"
Variety of thicknesses between 0.003" and 0.125"
Variety of thicknesses between 0.003" and 0.125"
1/4 oz., 1/3 oz., 1 oz., 2 oz., 3 oz., 5 oz., 7oz., 10 oz.
Half-hard, rolled-annealed, electro-deposited
0.003": half-hard and quarter-hard
0.004": half-hard
0.000625", 0.0009", 0.0013", 0.0019", 0.0023"
0.002", 0.003", 0.005"

0.0005", 0.001", 0.002", 0.003", 0.004"

0.0005", 0.001", 0.002", 0.003", 0.004"
0.001"
0.001", 0.002", 0.005"
0.002", 0.008"
Variety of thicknesses available
See Rigid substrate/Polyimide glass above
Variety of thicknesses between 0.005" and 0.125"

Polyimide

0.0005", 0.001", 0.002", 0.003", 0.005"

* Kapton is a registered trademark of DuPont for polyimide. Dielectric strength of plain Kapton film is 3500-7000 volts/mil depending
upon material thickness. Kapton/modified acrylic has a dielectric strength of 3500 volts/mil and a temperature rating of -65 to 150C,
although circuits will discolor after a long-term exposure at 150C. For special applications, Minco can use an adhesive that will withstand temperatures of 150C continuous, and 200C short-term.
Other polyimide films are available for special applications.
Material is applied as an alternative to standard copper layers.
In general, Minco recommends 0.001" of adhesive on the cover material per 1 oz. of copper (including plated copper). There may be
special circumstances where more is required. Consult Minco for details.

19

Value Added Design Options

Terminations
There are a variety of terminations for a flex circuit, and a variety of methods for applying these terminations.

Connectors
Connectors are usually customer selected, but Minco can recommend certain types of connectors to meet specific application requirements. Connectors can be attached to flex circuits
by hand soldering, wave soldering, crimping, or simple insertion with zero insertion force (ZIF) models. Connectors can be
potted after attachment or conformally coated for protection
and insulation with epoxy, polyurethane, or RTV.
One good option for many low cost
applications is the Clincher insulation
displacement connector.
High density connectors, with 0.050" or 0.025" center-to-center
terminals, are available from Omnetics Connector Corporation in
several forms, including high temperature and MIL-spec options.

Vertical or horizontal mounting

to fit your designs.

Up to 44 Beryllium Copper
pins in less than half the
space of an 0.050" connector!

Mil-spec connectors with

temperature ratings to 200C.

Round form connectors for

surface mount installation.

Connector type
Clincher connector
Micro series pin center-to-center
Nano series pin center-to-center

Pins
Socket pins are pressed in place and then soldered. Pins can
be swaged to the circuit and soldered after the swaging procedure, or pins can be swaged to an FR-4 stiffener and then
soldered. Swaged/soldered pins are moderately priced and
have good mechanical strength.
End pins that are in line with conductors can be brazed, soldered, or crimped to conductors. Pins can be bent to form a
staggered arrangement.
Flex circuits can interface to hardboards via soldered lap
joints, lap joints applied with an anisotropic adhesive (conductive in the Z-axis only).
Pins can be inserted separately or ganged in a header. Minco
recommends using an FR-4 or polyimide stiffener in pin areas to
improve mechanical strength and simplify assembly.

Pin type
Swaged
Brazed

Centerline distance
0.100" typical, 0.085" min.
0.100" typical, 0.035" min.

Crimped sockets and pins

Centerline distance
0.100" min.
0.050" min.
0.025" min.

Swaged or nailhead pins

with stiffener

Fingers
Fingers can be supported or unsupported. Supported fingers
are ideal for ZIF connectors mounted on rigid boards.
Unsupported fingers can be hot bar soldered to hard circuit
boards.

Supported fingers

Finger type
Supported
Unsupported
20

Unsupported fingers

Centerline distance
0.006" min.
0.020" min.

End pins

Lap joint

Value Added Design Options

Stiffeners
Benefits of using a stiffener
Stiffeners are an inexpensive option for rigidizing pin areas,
surface mount areas, or hole patterns for component mounting (provided SMT components are on one side only). Surface
mount areas do not always require a stiffener, depending on
component size, but a stiffener is recommended and will add
very little to cost or bulk.
Stiffeners can be utilized to force a bend line in selected areas.
Minco can provide epoxy fillets for the edges of the FR-4 stiffener, where flexing occurs.
Stiffeners reinforce solder joints and increase abrasion resistance.
Circuits may be attached to a stiffener pallet (multiple parts)
to provide easier handling for automated pick-and-place and
component soldering. Circuits can be held together for processing on the pallet, then singulated (clipped free) after wave
soldering and circuit testing.
Stiffeners can be silk-screened with component mounting
locations for rapid assembly.
Stiffeners are commonly FR-4 or polyimide material. They are
usually applied with modified acrylic adhesive.
Standard FR-4 material thicknesses range from 0.003" to
0.125". Typical thickness for polyimide stiffeners is 0.005", but
0.001", 0.002", and 0.003" are also available. Polyimide stiffeners are less expensive than FR-4 stiffeners because they are
punched on a die instead of routed with a drill bit. The polyimide stiffener lay-up procedure is performed with alignment
pins, therefore, registration is better. The polyimide stiffeners
are trimmed with the cover on the final blanking procedure,
which guarantees perfect outside alignment.
When using multiple stiffeners, maintaining the same stiffener
thickness consistent throughout the entire construction will
help keep costs under control.

21

Value Added Design Options

Forming
Flexible materials dont guarantee that the circuit will function
reliably when bent or flexed. There are many factors that contribute to the reliability of a printed flex circuit and all of these
factors must be taken into account during the design process
to ensure that the finished circuit will function reliably.
When designing a flex circuit, the designer must factor in all of
the parameters that will have an impact on the circuits ability
to bend or flex in the specific application. These include, but are
not limited to: whether the application is static or dynamic,
bend radii, dielectric thicknesses and type, foil weight, copper
plating, overall circuit thickness, number of layers, and number
of flexures.
The tighter a bend radius becomes, the higher the probability
of failure during flexing. Keeping the overall thickness of the
flex circuit in a bend area to its minimum will increase reliability.
The ratio of bend radius to thickness is one indicator of whether
the design is going to be reliable or have a high probability of
failure. If the bend radius is at least ten times the thickness of
the material, there is a good chance that the circuit will function reliably. If the calculated bend radius falls below ten to one,
the design may be questionable. Formulas for calculating the
minimum allowable bend radius for several circuit types can be
found in IPC-2223.
It is possible to design for much tighter bend radii, in a bendto-install application which retains the formed shape of the circuit. The circuit must be designed to withstand stretching along
the outer bend and compression of materials on the inner
bend. Stretching can tear covers or crack conductors while
compression causes foil and cover wrinkling that can also lead
to tears. These problems become more of a concern in applications that require the circuit to be bent beyond a 90-degree
angle. As the bend angle increases beyond 90 degrees, the
damaging effects of stretching and compressing increase dramatically. Any time that a reduced radii bend beyond 90
degrees is incorporated into a circuit design, the circuit should
be bent one time only. On bends over 90 degrees, it is also

advisable to constrain the circuit in the formed condition to

keep it from relaxing or being inadvertently reopened.
The ideal circuit design would have no copper plating on the
conductors in the forming or flexing area. Electrolytic copper
has much lower ductility than that of rolled annealed copper,
making it much more susceptible to fracturing when it is bent
or flexed. Other types of plating, such as gold and/or nickel,
should be avoided in the flexing area for the same reasons.
Copper plating on the flexing conductors may be eliminated by
using pads-only plating or designing with pads-only layers on
the external surfaces.
Minco can factory form some flex circuits with radii all the way
down to a crease, dependent upon board design, to improve
installation precision and repeatability within our customers
assembly process.
When designing a part for forming, it is important to avoid
mechanical stressors in the bend zone. Stressors include pads,
holes, components, and sharply angled conductors. These
reflect the most common features problematic to forming.
Forming imparts stress into circuits. Some designs will be better
suited to this forming process than others. Minco encourages
customers to discuss the intended usage of parts they want
formed with our engineers to help determine suitability.
Forms are likely to relax slightly over time. Tightly toleranced
forms are not normally held by flex circuits. Minco recommends specifications to read reference only or to describe the
parts as capable of attaining x dimensions for both angular
and linear aspects of forming.
Formed parts are less capable of withstanding temperature
variations than their un-formed counterparts. This is particularly
true where the bend zones are exposed to solder reflow or high
temperature sterilization procedures. To work around these limitations Minco can suggest optional designs or assembly
processes. Please contact us to discuss your needs.

Population
Minco will also assemble hardware and electronic components
onto your flex and rigid-flex circuits.
Numerous connectors are available for flex termination, ranging
from crimp connectors to nano-size SMT connectors or discrete
pins.
Heat-sinks, metal stiffeners, and plastic mounting frames may
also be laminated, heat staked or glued to flex circuits.
Flex-coil designs are an example of an embedded component
supplied within flex, multilayer, and rigid-flex circuits.
22

The most common electronic components are typically surface

mounted to the flex circuit using automated pick-and-place
equipment. Design considerations for populating flex circuits
differ slightly from rigid boards. Simple flex circuits usually need
to be stiffened for surface mount components. Our design engineers will make recommendations for necessary design factors
to meet your needs.
Between our in-house capabilities and our vendor network
were able to offer our customers bare parts, palletized and
unpopulated, partially populated or fully populated.

Request a Quote
Providing information for a quote
Information required for a ballpark quote

Information required for manufacturing

Quantity desired

All the information that is required for a firm quote, plus:

Number of layers

Dimensional drawing including notes and requirements

General size of the circuit

Features such as stiffeners, pins, connectors, etc.

Artwork for conductors in digital format, coupons, and

screened marking, if applicable (unless Minco is to generate)

Information required for a firm quote

Supplying drawings

Drawing (Gerber data preferred)

The perfect drawing will provide the following information:

Quantity required

Cross-section diagram (i.e. material stack-up)

Complete physical shape

Outline drawing of circuit

Materials: conductors, insulators, stiffeners, other

Material listing

Number of layers

Specifications

Plating requirements

Hole chart

Applicable specifications

Feature chart (i.e. minimum conductor width and spacing, and

any other minimum spacing requirements)

Unusual areas of the circuit that Minco should be aware of,

such as unbonded or cut-away areas

Dimensional tolerances

Tolerances clearly outlined (geometric profile preferred)

Special plating requirements

Other requirements: conductor spacing, conductor width,

border, etc.

Marking requirements

Special marking and/or packaging requirements

Special packaging requirements

Testing requirements

Testing requirements: type, percent to be tested, and frequency.

Is IPC-6013 testing required?
Additional components that Minco is expected to
supply/assemble (inform Minco of preferred suppliers if the
components are unique)

Specify testing requirements

Testing is labor intensive and will directly impact costs and
delivery schedules. Some tests are automated, others are manual.
Test frequency must be considered as well as the destructive
nature of some tests. All tests are documented and certificates
of conformance are routine for Minco.

Electrical testing options include, but are not limited to

Test requirements must be documented to avoid any confusion.

Your sales and design engineer contacts can discuss these
needs with you.

Inductance

Physical testing options include, but are not limited to

Dimensional measurements
Ionic contamination
Thermal shock
Solderability

Resistance
Insulation resistance (IR)
Continuity

Capacitance
Sencore Ringer
Dielectric, net-to-net
Dielectric, high potential test of exterior insulation
Impedance
Note: Standard electrical testing includes continuity (5 ) and
insulation resistance (40 m @ 150 VDC).
23

Request a Quote
Artwork checklist
Minco strongly encourages customers to use the artwork
checklist provided. If you answer 'yes' to all the criteria, your artwork will probably not need adjustment.
Note: Depending on the size/complexity of the circuit, the criteria may differ.

Conductor width

Dimensions

at least 0.004" over the specified minimum for unplated 1 oz.

(or thicker) copper?

Does the border match the print dimensionally?

Does the artwork match the print dimensionally?

Etched marking (if any)

Are all features of letters and symbols at least 0.010" wide?
Are letters and symbols clear of conductors and borders?

Border and cutouts

Is artwork conductor width:

at least 0.001" over the specified minimum for unplated
oz. Copper?

at least 0.005" over the specified minimum for plated copper?

Conductor spacing
Is artwork conductor space:
at least 0.001" over the specified minimum for all unplated
copper?

Is there a trim border (part outline) on at least one layer?

at least 0.002" over the specified minimum for all plated

copper?

Do nominal borders allow for tolerances in the table on page 10?

Conductor routing

Non-wiring hole clearance

Are conductors perpendicular to bend lines?

Are non-wiring holes at least 0.007" (more preferred) over the

specified minimum distance from conductors and borders?

Have you avoided the I-beam effect? (See page 15 or Glossary

for a definition of I-beam effect)

Pads and annular rings

Are there pads on all layers for all plated through-holes?
Are non-exposed pads (via pads) 0.020" larger than the
through-holes (not applicable for micro vias)?
Are center locations provided for all drilled holes and/or slots?
Are the annular rings on all holes at .east 0.007" larger than
the specified minimum?
Are access holes in cover layers at least 0.007" (more preferred) over the specified minimum distance from conductors
and borders?
Are all pads filleted?

24

Request a Quote
Designing CAD artworks
This section provides the information necessary for designing
CAD artworks that will meet the tolerance and quality requirements for a flex circuit. A correctly designed artwork will prevent
unnecessary and costly delays in the initial shipment.
Most CAD artwork is customer supplied. Minco can generate
CAD artworks at additional cost. To generate an artwork, Minco
needs:

Locations where the circuit will be bent, if any, and required

flexibility at these locations (i.e. bending for installation or a
dynamic application).
We prefer that you supply CAD generated data. If you cannot
furnish CAD data, we can digitize a physical artwork at additional cost.

Outline dimensions and tolerances. See Page 18.

Location and size of conductor pads. See the table on page 16.
Minimum conductor widths, minimum spaces between conductors and conductor thickness. These will depend on current carrying capacity, impedance, dielectric, and the flexibility requirements of the circuit. See the nomograph on pages 12 13.
Net list
Conductor paths can be captured from a net list or schematic
when required. A design charge may apply.

CAD-generated artwork

CAD data guidelines

Minco can accept CAD data in the following forms

Guidelines for DXF

Gerber RS-274X format (embedded aperture) photoplotter

code is preferred!

Place artwork data, part outline, hole centers, soldermask,

coverlay, screen marking, etc. on separate, individual CAD system layers.

RS-274D Gerber data with separate, detailed aperture list can

be used, but is not preferred.
AutoCAD DXF (2D)
AutoCAD DWG (2D)
Other formats may be acceptable contact Minco for details.

Transferring data to Minco

You can transfer your media to Minco in the following forms,
which are listed in order of preference.
E-mail: Ask Minco Sales Engineer for address
FTP: Ask Minco Sales Engineer for address
Floppy (3.5"), Zip disk, or CD: IBM-PC format

Guidelines for all formats

Single entity draws for conductors are required.
Single pad flashes are required.

Polygons or zero width line draws for irregular pad shapes and
shield area outlines are preferred (instead of filling in these
shapes).
Supply arcs and circles. Do not convert arcs or circles into segmented lines.
Avoid supplying only conductor outlines, as it increases set-up
cost. If you do supply conductor outlines, include supporting
CAD system layer with proper line width conductors and pads.

Guidelines for Gerber

When sending your photoplotter code, please include:
The format of the data
An aperture wheel listing (when required)
A list of layers with descriptions
The number of files supplied

Minimize the entities used to create conductor to pad transitions (fillets).

25

E2E Engineer to Engineer

Early engineering involvement
Great flex designs are achieved when the designer understands
that flexible circuits are as much a mechanical component as
they are electrical. Engineering consultation can be invaluable
early in the design process. Minco wants to make your access to
engineering tools and expertise as convenient as possible.
That is why we have developed an E2E (engineer to engineer)
community online at www.minco.com/e2e.

Minco engineer review

Circuit design assistance is available with online resources,

including an "Ask the Experts" link to request help from Minco
experts and an "E2E Community Discussion Forum" where
questions may be posted to the engineering community
beyond Minco.

Start to finish or problem specific, design engineers are available to assist our customers. Your sales engineer will put you in
contact with the design engineer most able to help you with
your specific design.

Our engineers will review your quote or order documentation

and data to determine if changes are needed for manufacturability. If needed, we will discuss these issues with you to our
mutual agreement before construction begins.

Design services

Ordering and Delivery

Place your order with Minco

Delivery information

When you receive your Minco quote you will see any findings
listed. Please review your Minco quote. Placement of an order
includes acceptance of all terms, conditions, exceptions and
substitutions. We are more than happy to discuss any questions
you have regarding your Minco quote.

Our sales engineer will provide estimated ship dates that will
vary due to your design, our work load, and which group builds
your parts.

When placing your order, include final design data, drawings,

and procurement documentation reflecting your expectations
and Mincos DFM changes. Clarity is key to Mincos relationships
with customers.
All quality clauses and expectations should be detailed during
the RFQ/Quote stage.
Send your purchase order and all other required information to
your sales engineer to begin our construction process.

26

Production models will follow our best practices and applicable lead times. Delivery times and quality are predictable for all
standard designs.
Prototype/quick turn models are generally offered on a "best
effort" basis with regard to meeting all print requirements. We
can also provide many designs completely "per print."
Quickturn offers fast proof of concept constructions that may
uncover improvements as well as road-blocks. Either way, you
will see your product more quickly with our quick-turn group
than through our production group.

Glossary
Access hole

Conductor width

A hole in the cover layer of a circuit that allows electrical access

to a flex circuit's conductor pads and through-holes.

The width of a conductor measured across its base.

Conductor
Width

Access Hole

Adhesive
Polyimide

Cover
Annular ring
The ring of exposed copper or solder that surrounds a flex circuits through-holes.

Insulator material laminated to an etched element. Covers can

be located on the inner or outer layers. Internal cover layers are
found in the unbonded regions of a circuit.

Dynamic application
The use of a flex circuit in an environment that requires flexing
in use.

Annular
Ring

Flex circuit
Flexible printed circuits made from etched foil conductor
strands. The conductor strands are laminated between insulating layers. Flex circuits can vary in complexity from the simplest
single-layer circuit to a complex multilayer.

Artwork
The original pattern of conductor strands for a flexible circuit.

Flex-Coil

Chemically milled die (CMD)

Flex circuits with internal or attached wire-wound coils.

A tool used in a punch press with blades formed by a chemical

milling process, and mounted on a 1" think aluminum base..

Hold-down tabs

Conductor

An extension of foil on a conductor pad that aids the pad in

gripping to the substrate insulation. Hold-down tabs are also
referred to as anchoring spurs.

The path that carries electrical current from one point to another. Mincos flex circuit conductors are commonly found in the
form of copper strands.
Conductor

Hold-Down
Tab

I-beam effect
Conductor spacing
The width of space between conductor strands. A certain minimum conductor spacing must exist in order to prevent conductors from shorting together.

The tendency of a flex circuit to have reduced flexibility and

fracture conductor strands if the conductor strands are layered
directly over each other, instead of being staggered from layer
to layer.

Conductor
Spacing

Adhesive
Polyimide

27

Glossary
Impedance

Pad

The measurement in ohms of the apparent resistance of an AC

circuit. Impedance depends on several factors: DC resistance,
capacitance, inductance of the line, the width of the conductor
strands, and the conductor spacing relative to ground and insulating layers.

The portion of a conductor, usually surrounding a through-hole,

that is used to connect a component for an electrical connection. Pads are sometimes referred to as terminals or lands.

Major access hole

Pad

An access hole (see Access hole) that is large enough to

expose a major portion of a conductor pad, which is usually
coated with solder.
Major
Access Hole

Profile tolerance
Dimensional tolerancing where the part trim line is contained
within a tolerance zone consisting of the area between two parallel lines, separated by the specified tolerance. For example, a
circuit to be trimmed with a steel rule die might have a tolerance of 0.015" (A 0.030" wide profile tolerance zone). The circuit
trim line could vary anywhere inside the zone.

Minor access hole

.030 A B

An access hole (see Access hole) that exposes only a very small
portion of a conductor pad, used on holes where a solder pad is
not needed or desired. The cover hole must still be larger than
the through-hole to allow for normal registration tolerances.
Minor
Access Hole

A
DRAWING CALLOUT

NOMINAL TRIM LINE

Nesting
Designing circuits so that they lay closely together on a panel
during production. This maximizes the usage of panel space,
which minimizes production cost.

.030 WIDE
TOLERANCE ZONE
EXAMPLE

Punch-and-die
Hard-tooling that is used in a punch press. A punch-and-die
consists of two precisely matched metal plates held in special
die shoes. When the punch press is activated, the plates come
together in order to punch a specific pattern into material.

28

Glossary
Rigid-Flex

Tear stops

A circuit containing both rigid and flexible areas. The rigid layers have conductors and plated through-holes connecting
them to other layers.

Copper, Kapton, or Teflon guards that are located in the inner

corners of Kapton-insulated flex circuits in order to prevent
propagation of tears.

Selective plating

Through-holes

A method of plating flex circuits so that only the circuits

through-holes and surrounding pads are plated. This greatly
adds to a circuits flexibility.

Holes that are drilled through the layers of a flex circuit in order
to have component access to those layers. Connection from
one layer to the next is provided by plating the through-hole
walls with a thin layer of copper.

Static application
The use of a flex circuit in an environment that requires flexing
during installation and maintenance, but not in operation.

Steel rule die (SRD)

Trim line
The area defined by a design engineer as the final cut-out area
around a flex circuit.
Trim Line

A tool used in a punch press, consisting of steel cutting blades

in a pattern, embedded into a maple plywood base.

Unbonded areas
A flex circuit design technique that involves providing an insulating layer between every conductive layer of a flex circuit, but
with no adhesive bonding between the insulating layers in certain areas of the circuit. This technique improves circuit flexibility.

Stiffener
Flexible or rigid pieces of material (usually Kapton or FR-4)
added to flex circuits to reinforce them for component mounting. There are no conductors on stiffeners, as compared to rigidflex circuits.

Via
A plated through-hole with no cover access holes that provides
connection for internal layers.

Substrate
A layer of insulator bonded on one or both sides with foil.

Tangency
A condition that occurs when the edge of a stiffener or cover
access hole is flush with the edge of a through-hole.
Through-Hole

Stiffener

29

Worldwide Headquarters
7300 Commerce Lane
Minneapolis, MN 55432 USA
Tel: 1.763.571.3121
Fax: 1.763.571.0927
sales@minco.com
www.minco.com

European Headquarters
Usine et Service
Commercial, Z.I.
09310 Aston, France
Tel: (33) 5 61 03 24 01
Fax: (33) 5 61 03 24 09

Asia Pacific Headquarters

20 Science Park Road
#02-31 Teletech Park
Singapore Science Park II
Singapore, 117674
Tel: (65) 6511 3388
Fax: (65) 6511 3399

ISO 9001:2000 / AS9100B

FC302021406R0
Minco 2006

Flex Circuits
Thermofoil Heaters
Sensors
Instruments